| Alzheimer's disease is probably one of the | | | | If treatment is given early enough, it can slightly slow |
| commonest causes of Dementia. It is a degenerative | | | | down the disease, but unfortunately it is incurable at |
| disease of the brain that effectively starts in the | | | | the time of writing. |
| cerebral cortex. It is mostly characterised by the | | | | Once Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed, then the |
| gradual and progressive decline in a person's mental | | | | person should be given as much help and aid as |
| abilities. It affects both sexes generally those who | | | | feasible, especially in the early stages. Unfortunately |
| are over the age of 60, yet Alzheimer's has been | | | | many people who are diagnosed with Alzheimer's |
| known to occur in people as early as age 40. | | | | disease are conscious at first that something is |
| The earliest symptoms of Alzheimer's disease are | | | | wrong with them (although they may go into denial), |
| simple forgetfulness. This is mostly disregarded | | | | and being aware you are "losing your mind" can be a |
| especially if the person is elderly, as it is commonly | | | | truly shocking and frightening experience. |
| put down to their age, but it steadily progresses to | | | | Their family ought, also to be given help to come to |
| more severe symptoms such as trouble in performing | | | | terms with the diagnosis as it can have a distressing |
| easy or regular tasks such as fastening buttons or | | | | effect on them especially if the person with |
| tying shoelaces. | | | | Alzheimer's is younger and brings in part of the |
| There is a progressive deterioration in both the | | | | household income. |
| person's mental and bodily state and abilities | | | | There are several support groups they can join who |
| additionally, also their recall. There is also a difference | | | | will help them to adjust and come to terms with the |
| in the actions and personality of the person with | | | | life altering disease that has befallen their loved one. |
| Alzheimer's, with their ordinary actions becoming a | | | | In the very later stages of Alzheimer's disease, the |
| thing of the past. For example someone who has | | | | person gets so bad that many families have no |
| always been gentle and kind may begin to use filthy | | | | choice but to place their relation in a nursing home so |
| words and make inappropriate sexual advances or | | | | they can be cared for professionally. This can also be |
| become violent and begin striking and lashing out at | | | | distressing for both them and the person who is ill. |
| people. | | | | The reason for Alzheimer's disease is not known, yet |
| In the later stages of Alzheimer's, the person | | | | scientists and doctors have many thoughts about its |
| eventually becomes incapable of performing any task | | | | origins. There have been many theories such as the |
| at all. They also become doubly incontinent, lose their | | | | deposition of aluminium in the brain, to fluoride in the |
| power of speech, lose the ability to walk properly, | | | | water but nothing has been positively identified as |
| suffer paralysis and lose their total memory. | | | | the course of this horrible disease. |